Not My Cup of Tea
by Hoshiko Shinomori
Summary: Green tea, who would have ever thought it would lead to romance? Misao certainly didn't, and when she gets kidnapped it's up to Aoshi to save her. What crazy things will happen on this journey of discovery?
1. Okashira Abduction

A/N: Konnichiwa minna-san! This is Hoshi with another story. I promise that this story will be much better than My Life in Song fic. (shakes head at the memory) Honestly! What was I thinking when I wrote that? Anyways, I apologize deeply if anyone seems OOC, and if you see any mistakes then can you please tell me? Okay I'm blabbing now so here's the story and I hope you like it. Happy reading!

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin in any way, shape, or form. That right goes to the honorable genius that is Nobuhiro Watsuki. I only wish to be half as good as him one day.

**Not My Cup of Tea**

Chapter 1: Okashira Abduction

Written by: Hoshiko Shinomori

-o-o-o-o-o-

_The darkness brings out people's hidden feelings_

_Fear, pain, sadness, loneliness and…love_

_All is an illusion_

_Do you hear my heart call out to you?_

_Do you hear me?_

_Hold me tight and never let me go_

_Before it is too late and I am…gone_

-o-o-o-o-o-

It was a dark moonless night in the city of Kyoto. All the streets were empty except for a few souls doing last minute errands or rushing home to their warm beds. A lone girl was among those people. She stood together and yet apart from the diminishing crowd and more than a few heads turned her way before scurrying off. She, however, didn't notice any of this. It was the perfect setting for an assassination; and had it not been the Meiji Era, a time of peace and reconstruction, or if she was not preoccupied, she might have taken note of this and been a little worried. Any other girl would have been afraid to be out alone in the dead of night, but not her. She was the okashira for a great ninja clan, the Oniwaban-shuu. Besides, she had one thing in mind that currently filled up all her thoughts; her Aoshi-sama. That and tea.

_I hope Aoshi-sama likes this kind. The man at the market said it was the freshest bunch there. But man was it expensive! And my feet are sore! Why the heck did I decide to go halfway across the city for tea?…Oh yeah, that's right, I HAD to make sure I had nothing but the best. Misao no baka! That's what you get for thinking with your heart instead of your head! Oh well, it will all be worth it when you see that surprised yet pleased look on his face. …What are you thinking Misao? Aoshi-sama never changes his expression, at least not noticeably._

Misao wasn't the only one thinking hard that night. Unbeknownst to her, shadowy plots were being hatched that would directly affect her.

"Oi, is that the girl?" asked a rough voice belonging to a tall lanky figure.

"Yes," replied a calm, collected voice; unusually colored eyes glowing eerily in the darkness.

"Are we really going to go through with this? She'll just get hurt in the process."

"She'll get hurt even more if we leave things the way they are. It must be done," answered a third voice, as a young boy joined them. Both men looked up at the source of the sound. All was deathly quiet. "Prepare yourselves gentlemen, the hour draws near. You know what to do."

A sudden gush of wind passed close by Misao causing an involuntary shudder and finally making her look up from her musings. The streets were now completely deserted and the darkness reigned supreme.

_That time already? I better hurry back before chaos breaks loose at the Aoiya. Then again, knowing Okon, Omasu, and that dirty old pervert, it probably already has. I just hope that Shiro and Kuro have enough common sense to keep them out of trouble. On the other hand, they never have been able to stop those three before…Oh god! The Aoiya could be in trouble!_

With that last horrifying thought Misao took off jogging, her long braid bobbing behind her. After a while Misao got the strange sensation that she was being watched, so she stopped running, hoping to hear something or rather someone. She took a scrutinizing look at her surroundings, paying very close attention to any possible hiding place, all the while masking her movements with false tiredness. She was a ninja after all and it wouldn't do to let the enemy know that you were on to them. At first there was nothing, and then out of the corner of her eye she saw movement in the shadows. She quickly reached for her kunai and threw them in that direction with expert precision. She was answered with a resounding clang of metal on stone and a soft clatter of them hitting the ground. She had missed her target! How could one human being move so fast? Instantly there was a rush of air on her right side and the arm that was still held up after the throw was instantly captured in a strong grip behind her.

"You should be careful with those toys. Someone could get hurt," came the cool arrogant voice of the cloaked, amber-eyed attacker; his hot breath blowing on her neck and making her hair stand on end. The hilt of his katana was digging into her back making her a little bit more than nervous. In fact, she was downright frightened! Only her pride kept her from trembling right then and there. She would not allow the attacker to know he had her scared and therefore give him an advantage.

She immediately shifted her weight, pivoted, and attempted to kick her assailant straight in the jaw only to have her foot caught by a second taller hooded figure. All she could see of him was a few loose bangs covering his face and a smirk on his face that clearly said he had the upper hand. She wanted nothing more than to wipe that smug look off his face and so she used her remaining free hand to elbow him in the stomach with as much force as she could given her current body position. He quickly dropped his hold on her and doubled over in pain, clutching at his abdomen. Then she swiftly kicked him in the groin.

Not losing a moment, Misao quickly crouched down and swung her leg in an arc trying to trip the shorter man. He nimbly jumped over her futile attempt at hitting him and landed a few spaces away. Unfortunately for him, this meant that Misao was now free of his grip and therefore free to attack at will. Not one to waste an opportunity, Misao immediately focused all of her attention and energy on the shorter of the two men.

_Hmm…he's fast, extremely fast, so running away isn't an option, but I wonder how strong he is? Maybe I can knock him out and get the heck away from here. Yeah! That sounds like a plan. Misao, you are such a genius! Okay, if this is going to work I better start off with something big._

Misao ran head on towards her opponent. At the last second she leapt in the air and brought her foot down for a kick. "BIRD-KICK OF RAGE!"

The amber-eyed man merely stood still watching all of her movements. It was stupid of her to rush forward like that. If he wanted, he could have already knocked her out. Not only that, but attacks like that are easy to counter. She telegraphs all of her moves and her ki was like an open book, giving him all the information he needed regarding her intentions. In other words, she fights like a complete amateur. When Misao jumped up for a kick, the swordsman easily sidestepped her attack.

"You'll have to do better than that if you wish to win," he calmly stated.

Misao immediately whirled around and with a flick of her wrist sent four kunai flying in his direction. Afterwards, she could only watch in amazement as the hooded stranger weaved in and out, dodging all the projectiles. Then slowly, as if all time had stopped, she watched as a small line of red formed on the man's cheek and a few drops of blood trickled down his face. One of her weapons had managed to graze the man! She was about to throw some more when a loud groaning from behind stopped her. Quickly she spun around to find the source of the noise.

_Uh-oh…this is bad. Real bad. The second guy is getting up! What am I going to do? I might have been able to handle one man, but two?_

"Ungh…What'd you do that for! Do you have any idea how much that hurts!" he yelled as he lunged forward attempting to grab the lithe girl.

"No. I don't," Misao said apathetically before she nimbly flipped over his head then ducked and rolled just in time to avoid a sword swing from the other man.

While her life may have been spared her hair was not. The swordsman had been just fast enough to catch the end of her braid, thus cutting off her hair tie and a good inch of her hair. Misao sank to the ground, her braid slowly unraveling itself and her dark locks splaying around her. She stared wide-eyed at the hair now on the ground and her breath came in ragged little gasps now. If she had been even one second slower, that would have been her head on the ground instead of her hair. She shuddered at the thought and unconsciously hugged herself tighter as if assuring herself that she was still alive. Then she watched warily through half lidded eyes as the two men approached her.

"Good, it seems that she has calmed down a bit," commented the amber-eyed man.

"Hey missy!" the taller man called out to her, "are you going to come quietly with us or do I have to drag you? I can tell you right now that the second option won't be pleasant."

Misao silently regarded her choices. She knew that she was fighting a losing battle. She was already out of breath and tired from all the fighting, whereas her two assailants hardly seemed to have even broken a sweat. She was clearly outnumbered and outmatched. The smart thing to do would be to give up now and hope for a fast and painless death…

_NO! I can't die now! I'm still needed! People are counting on me! I still have things I want to do! I WANT TO LIVE!_

"NO!" Misao screamed out hysterically, jumping to her feet. "My odds may not be good, but I'm not going down without a fight!" she yelled defiantly as she settled into a defensive stance.

"Why do they always want to do it the hard way?" wondered the tall man as he ran forward to answer her call for another fight.

As Misao saw the man run towards her, all her battle instincts kicked into gear. She now became a raging spitfire of flying limbs. As soon as the taller man got within one foot of her she jumped up and spin kicked him square in the jaw. The man took a small step backward in surprise.

"Hey, don't just stand there. Come and give me a hand," barked out the man irritably to his partner.

The smaller man just walked slowly towards the two, Misao's eyes never leaving his figure. Suddenly he vanished. The next thing she knew, she was grabbed from behind and held in a strong grip. She clutched at his arms and in one fluid movement she judo flipped him over her head and hopefully far away from her. She had no such luck however when the man simply spun around and landed on his feet.

_What is this guy…part cat? Such fast reflexes…I shouldn't be here…I need to get away…_

Misao panicked and turned and ran. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her. The two men were right on her heels. She kept on running until she saw a side street. Thinking quickly, she changed her course and went straight into the alley, never once slowing down. When she came face to face with a brick wall, her heart dropped down to her knees. She had run into a dead end. Turning around slowly she saw the fast approaching figures of her attackers. She squeezed her eyes shut and waited for the inevitable. This was the end for her.

"Stop!" Misao looked up at the sound of a voice. She was momentarily saved by the appearance of a small boy. The hood on his cloak was down and Misao could clearly see his face. The boy had black spiky hair and brown eyes. Appearance wise she thought he looked very similar to Yahiko, but they couldn't have been more different. The young kid had on a pair of small circular glasses that hung low on his nose and made him seem older and wiser which in truth he probably was. He had a stern expression, which neither looked comforting nor sinister. Either way Misao could tell this kid meant trouble. Seeing that the two hooded men now had all their attention on the small boy, she attempted to use this time to escape, but was stopped by the boy's voice. It was deep and commanding, not at all high and squeaky like she had expected.

_Did his voice just change? I could have sworn that he sounded like a child a moment ago. Now he sounds like an adult. What is going on?_

"Stop this foolishness. Hurry up, our time is almost over," said the boy, looking up at the quickly lightening sky. The last comment seemed to be directed to the other two black robed men so Misao tried once again to run away only to find out that she couldn't move.

_Oh no! This is beyond bad! I can't even lift a finger in my defense! What do these guys want with me anyway?_ All these thoughts screamed inside her head. Finally the tall guy approached her.

"Hmm, I see you've settled down a bit. I guess that paralyzing powder my partner placed on you during the fight really does work. …You know, you're a lot cuter when you're not throwing a tantrum like some spoiled little kid. I bet even that ice block Aoshi would have to agree with me."

Misao's eyes flashed angrily. This remark had hit a nerve and stirred up a deep fire within her.

_How dare he insult Aoshi-sama like that! Not to mention insulting me! Who does this guy think he is!_

Unable to do almost anything, Misao did the best thing she could think of; she spit in his face.

"Go to hell creep. Don't you EVER say Aoshi-sama's name again! And I am NOT a spoiled little kid!"

"Why you…and to think we were trying to help you!" growled the man as he lowered his hood in order to fully wipe away the saliva. This remark had confused Misao, but it had also piqued her curiosity. So when the man had brought his arm up to wipe his cheek, she couldn't help but look at the face of her attacker. What she saw surprised her greatly as her eyes widened at the sight and she instantly regretted looking. She swiftly moved her bright green orbs expectantly to the amber-eyed one in the group. He simply nodded and reached up and removed his hood. Misao's big eyes opened even wider in disbelief and shock.

"Don't ask," came his quick reply, "It would take too long to explain and you wouldn't understand anyway. Now be a good girl."

The next thing Misao knew, she felt a sudden jabbing pain at the back of her neck and she had the sense of falling forward. Her wounded eyes looked up questioningly at the amber-eyed man, but he just stood there impassively. All the images started blurring together and all she could think of was: "why?" Then strong arms caught her around her waist preventing her from hitting the ground. The last thing she saw was the forgotten packet of tea leaves by her feet and a mental image of Aoshi's face before everything went dark.

"Hey, are we doing the right thing?" asked the taller guy, adjusting Misao's body so he was now carrying her over a shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Yes, this is for her own good. This is to Aoshi's benefit as well. He needs to feel the pain he caused her. Who knows, it might speed our plan up a bit," replied the shorter man as he walked towards his partner.

"What if our plan fails or backfires?"

"It won't. This is our duty to perform. People's happiness and lives are at stake here. Failure is not an option."

"I know, I'm just a little worried. That damn Aoshi is so slow when it comes to these things. I just hope he makes it in time."

"I agree, I don't like needless deaths."

"Gentlemen, it's time. Countdown begins now," said the youth as he stepped forward and picked up the discarded packet of tea leaves. Slowly he walked further down the alley where a blind man and his dog sat waiting. Afterward he pressed the packet of tea leaves in the man's palm and bent down to whisper in his ear. Then just as slowly as before he walked back towards the other two. The sun was now just coming up over the horizon. "Come. We have much work to do. This is only the beginning."

All three males gave a silent nod. Suddenly there was a huge gust of wind and in the blink of an eye all was gone; no hooded men and no Misao. All that was left was a blind homeless man, his bony pet dog, and a single packet of tea.

-o-o-o-o-o-

**Definitions:**

**konnichiwa:** A greeting used after 10 am. It can mean good afternoon or hello.

**minna-san:** I think this means everyone. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

**okashira:** Basically this is what they call the leader of a ninja clan.

**Misao no baka:** This translates to "Misao you idiot!" or something along those lines.

**kunai: **These are ninja throwing knives.

**katana:** Hopefully if you're reading this fic that means that you already know what this is, but for those of you who don't, a katana is a long sword. Samurai also wore a shorter sword called a wakizashi.

(If there are any other words that you are unfamiliar with, just tell me and I will be sure to include a definition in my next chapter.)

-o-o-o-o-o-

A/N: Wow! My first chapter is already done and I already have the second written. I think my story is progressing nicely. I even added in a fight scene, in the first chapter, and I suck at fight scenes! What's important however is what you think. Do you like it, hate it, have tips to make it better, or just wish to flame it? Whatever you think please let me know in a review.

That is quite a predicament I put poor Misao in. How will she fare? Who are those mysterious men? What about the tea? And how will Aoshi react to the news? Will Aoshi even have a reaction? Tune into next chapter to find out.

Before I forget a special thanks go out to bunny, my love-lee editor, and darksaphire, who was a big help with this chapter.


	2. Stone Thoughts

A/N: Yay! Here's another chapter for all you faithful readers out there. (Do I even have faithful readers at this early point in the story? O.o; ) Personally, I'm a little disappointed with this chapter. It isn't written as well as it should be and it feels more like a filler chapter. Or maybe it just seems blah to me because there is way less action than the first chapter. Oh well, I hope you enjoy it anyway. Happy reading!

Disclaimer: Nope! I still don't own Rurouni Kenshin. When I do I'll be sure to tell you all and then you can call the reporters, lawyers, and TV crews so we can all have a party.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Not My Cup of Tea

Chapter 2: Stone Thoughts

Written by: Hoshiko Shinomori

-o-o-o-o-o-

_When someone you hold dear disappears_

_What do you do?_

_Do you pray to god they come back?_

_Or leave them and try to forget?_

_Do you hold on to the past?_

_Or like me…_

_Do you turn to the darkness in your heart_

_And ask for guidance_

_Trying once again to find the light_

-o-o-o-o-o-

Aoshi sat contentedly in the temple observing the dawn of a new day. He was currently kneeling on a cushion in his plain cotton yukata listening to the birds chirping. Everything seemed right in the world, except for a growing uneasiness in his stomach. It was too quiet, especially for the Aoiya; like the calm before a storm. He needed to meditate more to calm his mind, or perhaps he needed some tea to settle his nerves.

_Speaking of tea, where was Misao? Normally she'd already be up here serving him some in her usual overboard and happy way._

This thought brought a slight smile to his face. Believe it or not, Aoshi actually looked forward to Misao's daily visits. Her presence was a great distraction for his troubled mind. With her around, he almost forgot all the horrible things he had done. Aoshi, not the kind to brood on a subject, merely pushed the thoughts of Misao and her apparent absence to the back of his mind.

Aoshi shut his eyes and began to meditate. Not even half an hour later the surrounding area exploded with sudden noise. Birds flew away, animals ran for safety, and loud yelling erupted not far off. In other words, it was a typical day at the Aoiya. Quick footsteps hurried toward him. Aoshi stood up to meet his guests and mentally braced himself. Whatever it was, it probably wouldn't be as bad as they made it out to be.

It's probably Okon or Omasu with a half-baked scheme or Misao with some tea.

Sure enough, up came the faces of Okon quickly followed by Omasu. They had extremely worried looks on their faces and they seemed frantic and out of breath. Okon was the first to speak.

"Aoshi, it's about Misao. Yesterday, that perverted idiot tried to pull something on Misao while she had her hands full carrying the tea tray up to the temple. She of course overreacted and Okina ended up with a kettle full of scorching hot tea on his head."

"This was of course the last of the green tea so Misao ran to the market to get some more and she hasn't returned since!" finished Omasu, gesturing wildly with her arms for emphasis.

_Hmm…so that's where she's been all this time. I wondered why it was so quiet. _Aoshi quickly thought. Then the impact of Omasu's words finally sank in. _Wait a minute…Misao's missing!_

Aoshi, being the stone he was, merely raised BOTH his eyebrows. This was news to him. Misao, the okashira, was missing!

Okon and Omasu gave a double gasp. This was the biggest reaction they EVER got out of him.

"I knew he secretly loved Misao!" whispered Okon.

"I know! Why didn't we think of having Misao go missing! They might have been together already!" whispered Omasu back. Aoshi's one eyebrow twitched.

"I hope you know I can hear you," he calmly replied. _After all, who wouldn't be able to? They're the loudest women on the face of the earth_,he mentally added to himself.

Okon and Omasu were too surprised at being caught to say anything. Aoshi sighed inwardly. It would seem he'd have to pry the information out of them himself.

"So what is being done about Misao's disappearance?"

"Well, we believe that this is an Oniwaban problem and so we will keep it known only between members of the Oniwaban-shuu." Omasu was the first to recover and had therefore answered the question.

"We already sent Shiro and Kuro to the market to go search for her, but your help would be greatly appreciated and is requested by Okina," continued Okon.

Aoshi merely stood stock-still and replied coolly, "Misao is old enough to take care of herself. I'm sure she will be fine. Now if you will excuse me I have my daily training routine to go through."

"WHAT!" yelled both kunoichi. "How can you say that! Misao looks up to you! Are you just going to abandon her in a time of need?" questioned Okon.

"I am not abandoning her. I am merely putting my trust in her abilities. In case you haven't noticed, Misao is no longer a child. I am positive she will return safely to us." With those final words he left, leaving a speechless Okon and Omasu behind.

Now if only Aoshi himself could believe those words.

-o-o-o-o-o-

"Hah!" With a loud tearing, the cloth dummy ripped apart in a diagonal slightly above the stomach area.

_Hmm. No good_, thought Aoshi as he came closer to inspect his work. _That blow should have been deeper and should have started lower and ended higher. I'll have to try that maneuver once more_, Aoshi thought as he retrieved his kodachi from the dummy and moved back to the start position.

To say Aoshi was distracted would be an understatement. It had already been three days since Misao's disappearance and even though he didn't show it, he was in fact the most worried. In an attempt to clear his thoughts, Aoshi had thrown himself into training and meditation. Of course that didn't work, which brings us to the present.

"Hugh," Aoshi ran full speed towards the training dummy dodging side to side as if avoiding invisible flying shuriken or perhaps flying kunai, Misao's weapon of choice. Right before he reached the dummy he ducked and rolled sideways as if quickly evading a sword slice to the side that quickly swept downwards. Then all in one motion he rolled onto his feet and flipped over his stationary opponent while at the same time slashing. With a soft thud he landed behind the imaginary enemy with his back facing his opponent. Silently he went around to the front of the practice dummy to scrutinize his work. Then his one eyebrow shot up in surprise. He had managed to completely miss ALL vital spots! If this was a real battle with a real opponent and he landed exactly like he had then he wouldn't have enough time to react to a counterattack. In other words, right now he would be dead.

"Hmm, that was a sloppy attack. In battle the price for such an error would be your life. Perhaps you have something troubling your mind?" came an arrogant voice from the doorway of the dojo.

Suddenly there was a flash of steel and the sharp edge of a kodachi was pressed close to the man's throat. He merely smirked in response.

"Hmm, a bit touchy I see. This wouldn't by any chance be because of a certain weasel girl, now would it?"

Aoshi just stared coldly at the intruder. It bothered him immensely that someone had managed to enter the dojo without him first sensing their ki. This was a true sign of just how worked up he had been over Misao.

Finally Aoshi lowered the weapon and said coldly, "What do you want Saitou?"

Slowly after taking a puff of his cigarette he began. "Well as you know, missing person's cases are part of police jurisdiction, so I was hired by Okina to see what I could do about locating Misao."

Hn. Foolish old man. This is an Oniwaban matter. How could he hire an outsider, especially Saitou to solve this problem? If anyone should find her it should be a member of the Oniwaban-shuu, like me.

Saitou was carefully watching Aoshi as he had told him why he was there. Aoshi's face of course betrayed nothing of his thoughts so Saitou continued.

"Anyways, I believe I have information that would be of use to you. Although, judging by your reaction, or lack of one, someone could almost say you didn't care. Maybe it's better if I just keep this information to myself."

Just as he turned to exit he was blocked by the cold steel of a blade. Saitou merely smirked knowingly to himself. It was so fun to push people's buttons.

"Of course I care about Misao. She is the okashira, the singular most important person in the Oniwaban-shuu. If anything were to happen to her I could never forgive myself. Now tell me what you know before I slice you in two," he said in a low threatening voice.

Saitou merely brushed the threat off as he closely watched Aoshi. "Hmm. Your okashira you say? But I wonder…is that the only reason why you're so desperate to find Misao?" he asked, taking another puff of his cigarette.

He noticed a small change in Aoshi's face and it was gone just as quickly as it came, but it told him exactly what he needed to know. His words had struck a nerve.

"No, that is the only reason," Aoshi ground out, "Now tell me the information you have." Aoshi was quickly losing his patience with this man, which is no small feat.

No wonder Misao hates him. I can barely tolerate Saitou as it is.

"Very well. We have reason to believe that Misao has been kidnapped by a notorious underground gang known for selling off pretty young girls on the black market. Earlier today, a witness was found who claims to have been present during the abduction of a young female closely matching Misao's descriptions. I was on my way to interrogate the witness before I saw your pathetic excuse for training and felt compelled to say something. Before, I was going to ask if you would like to accompany me while I question the subject, but if you're going to fight like that then maybe it's better if you just stayed here and didn't get yourself killed."

He turned only to find that his path was now blocked by both kodachi. Turning his head back he simply asked, "Well, are you coming or not?"

Aoshi simply stared back, the corner of his mouth twitching upwards, before making a quick motion with his arm. Suddenly there was a loud ripping noise and the head of the training dummy was swept clean off of its shoulders.

Saitou gave a satisfied smirk. _Good, it seems he has regained his concentration and deadly skill. He'll be needing that where we're going._

While Aoshi went to retrieve his kodachi and resheath it, Saitou was sizing up the other man. "Hmph. Well if you're done playing now, let's get going. …Unless you've changed your mind about finding your precious okashira?" Saitou threw challengingly over his shoulder as he walked out the door.

"Hn. My mind has not changed. Just be glad you aren't the one at the receiving end of my twin kodachi," replied Aoshi as he calmly followed Saitou out the door.

Be brave Misao. Your captors don't know who they're messing with. 

-o-o-o-o-o-

**Definitions:**

**okashira:** Basically this is what they call the leader of a ninja clan.

**shuriken:** These are ninja throwing stars.

**kunai:** These are ninja throwing knives.

**kodachi:** These are short daggers/swords that are mainly used for defense. Aoshi, however, uses them together with his kempo style of fighting to attack and defend.

**kunoichi:** This is what they call female ninjas.

**yukata:** This is a thin robe similar to a kimono. It is usually worn either to sleep or during the summer because of the extreme heat.

(If there are any other words that you are unfamiliar with, just tell me and I will be sure to include a definition in my next chapter.)

-o-o-o-o-o-

**Reviewer Responses:**

Before I start, I would like to thank all the people who took the time to review my fic. You don't know how much that means to me. And for all you people who read the first chapter and didn't review, shame on you, review now! j/k Anyways, I'm just grateful people are reading this, although feedback is even more appreciated. (hint hint)

_MmindloveM_: Wow, you're a person of few words! Thanks for being my first reviewer and I'm glad you like my story so far.

_Love-lee Light Maiden_: Hey there USAGI! Even though you weren't my first reviewer I still love you. However, I don't love you enough to spill the beans on my story. Hee hee, evil I know. By the way, DON'T CALL ME POOKIE…OR POOKA!

_darksaphire_: Yeah, I know the people are obvious. (sigh) And I tried so hard to not give too much away. Oh well, I won't tell our dear imouto if you won't. We'll be evil together. Mwah ha ha ha ha…

_gabyhyatt_: I'm glad you liked my fic. I also noticed that you added me to your author's alert list. Thank you so much! I am truly honored.

_Starlightz6_: Oh my! (faints from all the praise) Thank you for all the generous compliments. I'm not sure I'm worthy of them though. .; One of the best Aoshi and Misao fics? (blushes) I wouldn't go that far… You think my story has a plot? I'm basically just making it up as I go although I do have a basic outline. Anyways, your review made me all giddy inside. You are now officially on my list of favorite reviewers. Again, thanks. By the way, I love your penname. I always did have a thing for stars. (They're my favorite shape, hence my penname Hoshiko, which translates to star child.)

_TheRurouniCritic_: (Or is it GreenKnight-Warrior now?) Geez Dillon, thank you for gracing me with your presence. (rolls eyes) My fic was only good? lol. What do you mean a bigger cliffhanger? I'm not your sister, ya know. Hee hee. Well thanks for the review anyway.

_LuvHaru7_: My chapter made you want to laugh? As an authoress, this comment makes me want to cry my eyes out. However, as myself, I'm laughing right along with you. I agree that this situation is amusing and seemingly obvious. Also, that idea has crossed my mind and originally my story was going to be very similar to that. However, I can assure you that there is more going on than anyone realizes. This story is much bigger than just "Let's get Aoshi and Misao together by kidnapping her." As for who the people are, you'll just have to keep reading to find out.

-o-o-o-o-o-

A/N: EEP! Don't kill me! (dodges flying fruit) Sorry for not including Misao in this chapter. I know you guys are all probably wondering about her, but never fear, she will make an appearance in the next chapter. Anyways, I want to know what you guys think so far. You know what to do, just click on that little button down there and review. Constructive criticism is always welcome and words of encouragement make me very happy. A happy authoress means faster updates. You know what they say, reviews make the world go round, or at least the fanfiction world that is.

Well, it seems Aoshi finally got his act together and is going to go after Misao. Honestly, that man is in serious denial. So, while things on the home front seem to be moving into place, how are things doing in the shadows? How will our heroine fare? What tortures have Misao's captors done? Who knows, you just have to stick around until the next chapter to find out.

Again, special thanks go out to my two best friends, bunny and darksaphire. You guys really are a big help when it comes to my stories. I don't know what I would do without you.


	3. Prisoner

A/N: All right! Chapter 3 is finally done! Anyways, here we go back to Misao and see how things are going on her end. As always, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. Happy reading!

Disclaimer: Do I really have to say anything? If I did own Rurouni Kenshin then I wouldn't be writing fanfiction about it. Also, Aoshi and Misao would have gotten together faster. Plus, I'd be rich and would get myself a decent computer so I wouldn't have to go over to my friend's house in order to upload a chapter.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Not My Cup of Tea

Chapter 3: Prisoner

Written by: Hoshiko Shinomori

-o-o-o-o-o-

_We are all prisoners… prisoners of ourselves_

_We are bound by our fears and bound by our love_

_Everyone has two sides to their soul_

_One that is hidden and one that is shown_

_The hidden part yearns to break free_

_Like a caged bird, we flit from prison to prison_

_How much longer until we can sever these ties?_

_How much longer until we can flee this place?_

_I want to fly away and never look back_

-o-o-o-o-o-

Shafts of sunlight shone through cracks in the ceiling and from the doorway revealing the features of a petite girl lying on a small futon in the center of the room. She slept soundly with a serene look on her face, her waist length raven hair cascading around her tiny form in simple waves. Chin length bangs framed her delicate face only adding to the angelic scene, a scene which was about to be shattered.

The sunbeams continued to dance merrily on the walls of the room, stirring the sole occupant from her restful slumber. Slowly heavy lidded eyelids opened to reveal beautiful bright green orbs. The girl groggily blinked a couple of times as her eyes adjusted to the light. Taking in her unfamiliar surroundings, she fought the feelings of disorientation as she tried to make sense of everything. All her thoughts came in mashed-up, out-of-sequence, waves of disorder. Suddenly all the proceedings of what happened before she was knocked out came crashing into her mind as she bolted upright in panic, sweat dripping down her body and off her face.

Flashes of two dark men clad in robes reaching for her, the sound of a swooshing blade cutting her hair, fearing for her life, and a strange kid in glasses entered into her thoughts. Immediately afterwards she clutched her head in pain, a soft groan escaping her lips, as she gently laid herself back down on the comfortable futon.

_Ow…my head hurts so much! And I'm sore all over! …Where am I anyway? Argh…that doesn't matter right now! Focus, Misao! You need to find a way to escape…_

With her mind set, Misao rose up to a sitting position much slower than before, wary of what happened with her first hasty attempt. Her muscles groaned in protest at the movement and there was a dull ache in the back of her head, but she pointedly ignored it.

_Man, those guys really did a number on me…Why'd they attack me anyway? And then kidnap me? What could they possibly gain?_ Misao wondered as she gently threw the sheets off her lithe frame. For a split second, the idea of them using her to get to the Oniwaban-shuu crossed her mind before she shrugged it off as nothing more than paranoia.

Then she just stared down at herself. Rather than seeing the dark blue ninja outfit that she usually wore, instead she was garbed in a simple white sleeping yukata. She sat perfectly still, boring holes into her now covered legs.

Where are my clothes? Who changed me? Was it one of those three men? They better not have tried anything funny while I was asleep, because if they had…

With each new thought, Misao grew angrier and angrier, so that when she was abruptly brought back to reality from her murderous thoughts by a gentle knocking, she was practically glaring at the door. Rage rolled off her body in massive waves and if looks could kill, the door had already died a most gruesome death. When a small dark brown head popped it's way into the room, followed shortly by a lean and scrawny body carrying a breakfast tray, Misao only redirected her fury and turned her withering gaze at the young man. After all, it was those guys' faults that she was even in this predicament! They were the ones who kidnapped her!

The youth slowly stepped into the room before turning around and shutting the shoji door with his right hand while balancing the tray in his left. Carefully he walked towards Misao and gently placed the tray down next to her.

"Good morning, Makimachi-san. Did you sleep well?" he asked in a pleasant voice, a smile plastered on his face.

Finally Misao couldn't contain herself any longer so she burst out with barely controlled anger, "Where. Are. My. Clothes!"

The man seemed to be slightly confused and taken aback but he quickly recovered and the grin was once again on his face. "I believe you are wearing clothes, but if you mean the outfit you came in with, then it is right there next to you in a pile along with all your other belongings, except the weapons of course.

Misao only stared bewildered at the heap of clothing. Funny, she hadn't noticed that before, but then again she probably had been too worked up at the moment to notice anything. That's when she realized that her braid was undone. Unconsciously she reached up, planning to braid her hair, when her stiff limbs stopped her.

_Guess I better work out all the kinks in my system before I do anything strenuous… I suppose that means I won't be escaping anytime soon, there's no way I can beat all those guys in this condition…Gah! I hate this! I just want to leave this place! What do those guys want from me anyways!_

Sinking into a mild depression, she absentmindedly began to braid her hair, running her fingers through it every so often to smooth out all the tangles. If only smoothing out her problems was just as easy. Misao welcomed the simple familiarity as a reprieve from her desperate situation. It wasn't long before she was done with her task. That's when she suddenly remembered that she didn't have a hair tie; hers had broken during the fight.

_Oh well_, she thought as she let the braid drop behind her. She was already past the point of caring about her hair. She had more important things to worry about, like the man currently kneeling next to her.

He seemed to be really young for a kidnapper, probably around her age, give or take a few years. He had bright blue eyes, _sort of like Aoshi-sama's_, only unlike Aoshi's, his held a deep sadness and pain. Short dark brown, almost black, bangs were splayed over his forehead and slightly longer bangs framed the side of his face. He also had on that ever-present smile that never quite reached his eyes. In fact, it felt rather empty.

_What a creepy smile. I wish this guy would stop, he's freaking me out! Besides, what's there to be so happy about?_

The male in question, merely observed the girl on the futon in front of him and her somewhat shaky movements didn't go unnoticed by him either.

"Are you still sore? That is to be expected. After all, you are recovering from paralyzing powder that contains a strong numbing mixture. Once it wears off though, your muscles will return to normal, aside from the fatigue they already have from the fighting," cheerfully stated the boy. "Are you hungry?" he abruptly asked, offering her a bowl of miso soup.

The delicious smells floated up to her nose, teasing her tastebuds with promises of mouth-watering goodness. It was at that moment that Misao's stomach chose to growl rather loudly.

"I guess I am!" Misao exclaimed good-naturedly as she gratefully accepted the bowl of food held in front of her. She carefully picked up the bowl of piping hot liquid, bringing it up towards her mouth when a sudden horrifying thought occurred to her. She narrowed her eyes in suspicion, staring at the offending piece of food.

"Hey, this isn't poisoned, is it?" she asked, now turning her suspicious glare on the unsuspecting man. He had the good grace to look taken aback.

"No, of course not. Why would we want to do that?" he replied, genuinely confused, before his smile slipped back on his face. Misao carefully thought over his words.

_Hmm, that's a good point. If they had wanted to kill me, they could have easily have done it while I was unconscious. Besides, Beshimi taught me a lot of information about poisons and how to counter them._

_If I get poisoned I could probably find the antidote…I hope. Who knows? This could be my only meal for the day. I better eat to keep up my strength so I can kick everyone's butts and get the heck out of here! …Ah, who am I kidding? I'm just really hungry and the food looks really good, despite the potential danger. I'm so pathetic._

Grudgingly Misao took a bite.

_Mmm…this is actually pretty good! Although I'm not going to tell my KIDNAPPER that!_ Misao thought as she spared a sidelong glance at the man next to her. _I wonder who cooked this?_

The two occupants of the room ate in silence. In other words, one was eating and both were silent. Misao was studying the young man next to her. He seemed familiar somehow, but she couldn't figure out why. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. The silence and her curiosity were driving Misao insane.

"Who are you? Haven't I seen you somewhere before?" Misao suddenly blurted out.

"My name is Seta Soujirou. As to how you know me, I am not sure. Perhaps you saw me fighting somewhere?" he casually answered, never once losing his vacant smile.

Misao thought about his answer for a while._ Soujirou, Soujirou, Soujirou. That name sounds so familiar. Why can't I remember?_ Inwardly, Misao was feeling like ripping out her hair and yelling in sheer frustration. Then Soujirou's words came back to her. 'Perhaps you saw me fighting somewhere?' Misao started recollecting all the fights she had seen. Suddenly the answer came to her like a two-ton pile of bricks.

"Ah-ha! I know who you are! You're that really fast guy who fought Himura-san and broke his sakabatou!" Misao exclaimed excitedly as she jumped up, accidentally knocking over her bowl of miso soup onto Soujirou's lap.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! Here, let me help."

"No, that's quite alright. I'll just go to my room and put on a new hakama," he said as he got up and moved towards the door.

"Oh, okay." The topic of changing clothes reminded her of her current attire. "Wait, before you go, I need you to tell me who was the person that changed my clothes."

_So I can beat him to a bloody pulp later_, she added mentally.

Soujirou just spared her a quick glance from the doorway before simply answering.

"Takani-san."

Misao stared in shocked silence as Soujirou went out the door, shutting it behind him before walking away, his zori sandals clicking behind him.

_Megumi is here? Did they kidnap her too? I wonder what they want with us._ A sudden loud growling of her stomach interrupted this train of thought. She looked sideways at the tray still full of food.

_It's bad to waste food…_she thought absentmindedly as she reached forward grabbing an omelet filled plate. Once she finished off the plate of eggy goodness she moved on to a bowl of plain white rice, and afterwards, to a piece of thick square toast.

_Mmm…that's really good! Now I'm thirsty, though. What is there to drink?_ Looking around Misao soon noticed the kettle full of green tea along with a mug that was on the tray. As Misao poured herself a cup and slowly sipped it, her thoughts began to wander.

_How ironic is this? This whole nightmare began because of tea. …Aoshi-sama is right, though. Drinking tea really does calm you down a little. …Oh, Aoshi-sama! Where are you? What are you doing right now? Will I ever see you again?_

The normally bubbly teen had a faraway look in her eyes as she slowly drank her tea, thinking of a certain blue-eyed ninja. Tears started to well up in her eyes, threatening to spill into her tea.

_Oh well, guess I better get ready now_, she thought as she pulled herself out of bed, quickly wiping away the unshed tears. Getting up on her feet, she swiftly slipped into her shinobi uniform. After carefully tying the pink sash into a bow behind her and putting on her arm guards and tying on her sandals, she began to do a couple of stretches to loosen up her stiff muscles.

All during the exercise, her hair kept getting in her way, until about halfway through when she ripped off a strip of the dark blue cloth that she wrapped around her feet and used it to tie back her hair. She didn't even bother to re-braid it so her hair just hung back in a low ponytail.

Once the stretching was over she looked around her surroundings. It was a fairly small room, covered in tatami mats, with no windows and only one door. It was empty except for the futon she had slept on and the food tray Soujirou had brought in.

"Guess I really am a prisoner. There's no way I could escape without being caught," Misao sighed as she made her way towards the shoji door. When she slid it open, she was surprised to see both Soujirou, now wearing a black hakama instead of the darkly colored blue one, and the strange kid with glasses. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that the kid had silvery white streaks in his hair.

_How weird. Did he have those streaks before?_

The kid merely looked her over before saying, "Good, you're ready. Let's go." Then he took off down the hallway. Soujirou gently led Misao down the corridor after him, guiding her from behind by pushing on the small of her back. As Misao was being pushed along, she barely had enough time to wonder where they were going before one other man, now with his hood down, joined them, on the right side of her. She was now sandwiched between three men and a wall. There was no hope of escape now.

All four continued down the long hallway until it opened up into a large open area. The place was like an underground marketplace. Tons of people were walking around like there was nothing unusual about it.

Misao thought they were going to stop here, but instead they kept going and turned left. Soon they had entered a much smaller room that was pitch black except for the tiny flickering lights coming from various candles spread around the room.

In the dim light, Misao could make out the outline of a giant full-length mirror. It was ancient looking with intricate carvings in wood on either side. The oval-shaped mirror stood tall on its own, the wooden supports barely visible, giving the eerie impression that the mirror was floating in midair.

On the very top was the carving of a heart with a thorny vine bursting out of it and wrapped all around. The vines then came outward and wove itself in and around the scenes carved on either side of the mirror. On the right side was a scene similar to everyday life: people working, shopping, and going about their daily routine. On the left, however, the scene was much different. It had the same people doing the same things, but they seemed to have more sorrow. It was like a black cloud hung over them, and they were nothing more than lifeless beings going through the motions.

Finally, Misao ripped her eyes from the fascinating mirror and turned around, staring intently at the four men. "What do you want from me?"

The kid with glasses stepped forward before answering. "We have a proposition for you, one you can't refuse." It may have been nothing more than a trick of the light, but at that moment his eyes seemed to flash the deepest blue, like the fierce wave that promises a watery grave.

-o-o-o-o-o-

**Definitions:**

**yukata:** This is a thin robe similar to a kimono. It is usually worn either to sleep or during the summer because of the extreme heat.

**zori sandals: **These are flat sandals that are very cheap.

**shoji door:** These are the paper sliding doors that are found in traditional Japanese houses. They actually lead to the outside of a house while fusuma doors are the ones inside a house, but I'm too lazy to be accurate so in my fic all doors are shoji.

**shinobi:** This is the Japanese term for a ninja.

**hakama: **This is what you call the pants part of a samurai outfit. A gi is what you call the top.

**tatami mats:** These are weaved mats made from straw and other natural fibers. They are very difficult to make and very expensive to buy. Whenever you enter a room covered in tatami, it is customary to take off your shoes in order to prevent it from getting dirty.

**sakabatou:** This is Kenshin's reversed blade sword. In other words, the blade is on the wrong side, thus preventing Kenshin from killing anyone, unless he flips it of course.

(If there are any other words that you are unfamiliar with, just tell me and I will be sure to include a definition in my next chapter.)

-o-o-o-o-o-

**Reviewer Responses:**

_Love-lee Light Maiden:_ Hey Tsuki! You actually WERE my first reviewer for this chapter so you didn't jinx yourself. Anyways, expect more Saitou/Aoshi goodness in chapter 4.

_ttv: _Hey, I got my first anonymous review! I'm glad you liked the Okon and Omasu part. It was a lot of fun to write. Thank you for all the compliments, though I'm not sure I'm worthy. (At least not that many.)

_darksaphire:_ Jeez Lynda! A whole paragraph review and only the last sentence actually relates to my story! Thanks for reviewing me anyways.

_Aleigh Walker:_ Well here's the next chapter, guess that means you won't be dying of curiosity. Yup, Aoshi doesn't have a clue, and it is SO fun to play mind games with him.

_MmindloveM:_ It's so fun having Saitou torture…er…I mean help Aoshi. Anyways, here's some more Misao for you. Not much is happening yet, but you can expect more in chapter 5. It's nice to hear from you again and I don't mind if you don't say much, I'm just glad you read and review my fic.

_im-not-gothic-damnit:_ Hi Patrick! Hee hee. I'm sorry you think my chapters are too long; they average around 7 pages, although this one is actually 8. Anyways, Corinne's are longer, all over 10 pages! And I update at a nice leisurely pace of 1 chapter a month.

-o-o-o-o-o-

A/N: Okay! Chapter 3 is finally done. Well I want to know what you all think. As always, constructive criticism is welcome along with any words of encouragement you have. I'll even accept flames because it lets me know that I have a lot to improve on. I want to know how I'm doing and I can't do that without you, the reviewers.

Poor Misao, being captive is just one giant emotional roller coaster. What is this proposition they have? Will she accept it? What will happen to her if she doesn't? Will Aoshi and Saitou reach her in time? Read on to find out!

As always, a special thank you goes out to my two editors, Love-lee Light Maiden and darksaphire. A special thanks also goes out to all my wonderful reviewers. You guys are such an inspiration.


	4. Pursuit of the Teabags

A/N: Chapter 4 is finally done! Woot! Gomen nasai! Sorry for the long wait! Now we return to Aoshi and Saitou. Expect great detective/police work. Happy reading!

Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own it, but my friend does! Oh, you mean the rights? Nope, that belongs to Nobuhiro Watsuki. My friend just owns the manga that I get to borrow.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Not My Cup of Tea

Chapter 4: Pursuit of the Teabags

Written by: Hoshiko Shinomori

-o-o-o-o-o-

_When what you hold dear…disappears_

_Whatever shall you do?_

_Search the world over_

_Picking up the clues_

_Hoping your troubles will soon be over_

-o-o-o-o-o-

"Where is this so called witness you spoke about earlier?" Aoshi scanned his surroundings as he spoke in a monotone. If talking to this person meant that Misao would be found, then what were they waiting for?

"Patience ninja boy. I have more pressing matters to attend to so don't try to tell me how to run my investigation." Saitou casually strode through the marketplace as throngs of people moved out of his way. Although his hands were resting deep in the pockets of his dark blue police uniform, there was an unapproachable aura around him.

Aoshi followed along silently, wondering slightly where they were headed. It wasn't long before Saitou stopped in mid-stride.

"See anything?"

Using both of his hands, he gestured to the dusty road they were standing on. Small simple houses lined both sides of the street, casting dark shadows along the alleyways formed between buildings.

A glint of light on metal from one of the alleys caught Aoshi's attention. Two discarded kunai were found lying on the ground. They were scuffed up, their metal dulled with use; obvious marks of a fight. A couple of scratches on the wall nearby showed where the kunai had made their mark. The scratches were deep and close together; the user had thrown with the intent to kill.

_What are these doing here? Could it be related to Misao's disappearance? There's no blood anywhere, that's a good sign…_

Glancing around at the rest of his surroundings, he noticed what appeared to be a small golden tube with a bushy black tail, a couple of feet from his current position. Carefully tucking the kunai into a hidden pocket in his trench coat, he slowly strode over to inspect the unusual object.

When he got closer, he noticed that it was actually a lock of hair still jammed into a golden bronze hair tie. By the looks of it, it had been trampled by many feet, kicked off to the side of the road, and coated with dust and grime.

Picking it up gingerly in his right hand, Aoshi's ice blue eyes narrowed. He recognized this hair tie; it was the one that Misao wore everyday. Not only that, but the hair at the end was straight as if it had been cut by a blade, like a knife…or a sword.

I'll kill them if they've harmed Misao. The Oniwaban-shuu will not tolerate such an insult as attacking our okashira.

Taking one last look at the tiny lock of hair, he carefully placed it in another pocket in his trench coat.

_Be strong Misao. I promise I'll save you. Those fools will regret the day they crossed paths with me. _

Saitou watched Aoshi intently with a small hint of amusement evident in his smirk. "Find anything interesting?"

"Hn. Nothing worth noting."

"I hardly call two kunai and a lock of hair nothing. Misao would be very disappointed if she heard you say that."

Aoshi clenched and unclenched his fist before turning around so that he was fully facing Saitou.

"As observant as ever, I see. Now enough fooling around, where is this witness of yours?" Aoshi's face was a mask of calmness, belying his true feelings.

Taking a long puff of his cigarette, Saitou just silently stood still. Taking the cigarette out of his mouth, he slowly exhaled the smoke before letting it drop to the ground, stomping out the remaining flame with the toe of his shoe.

"Very well, follow me," he said before walking off into the crowd. "By the way," he called over his shoulder, "you missed some clues."

Then he tossed two small metal objects, which Aoshi easily caught. Looking down, he noticed they were two more kunai.

That makes four kunai total; four, or shi, the number of death. I hope this isn't a bad omen.

As the two men left the area, a small unseen object glittered in the sunlight. It was another kunai, the fifth one. Five, or go, is also known as the number of good luck. Where these two were headed, they needed all the luck they could get.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Filthy. That's what he is. A scrawny, beaten down, dirt covered, disfigured bum. Saitou sneered. The guy was just staring out into the crowd…at nothing. As the two tall men approached the guy, a bony gray mutt barked to alert its master to the presence of the two. Aoshi tried not to scrunch up his nose as the dark black head turned towards them. He certainly didn't lack in the smell department either.

"Who's there? Are you the cop who needs information?"

"Hm…yes I am. Now tell me what you know about the disappearance of the little weasel girl."

"A few nights ago, there were sounds of fighting. It is my guess that this…'weasel girl' was taken by the Kyouji gang. They are a group of thugs who kidnap helpless girls off the streets and sell them to whoever pays the highest price. I myself was lucky to get away! But my precious Amaya…she wasn't so lucky." A pained expression crossed the old man's face before he took a deep breath and continued his tale.

"They had attacked me when I was walking the streets with my thirteen year old granddaughter. I was so scared! I had no idea what was going on! I tried to fight back, but being blind, I had no success. They just threw me onto the cold streets! The leader had such a rough voice and a hard personality! You need to be extremely wary of him. He's ruthless and will think nothing of killing you on sight. I fear that this girl you're looking for…might be facing the same problems. Before they left, the leader of the group handed me this."

With that said he pulled a tea bag adorned with a dragon symbol out of a fold of his gi.

"The black serpent is a symbol of the gang. That's why they're called "Kuroi Kyouji." They leave it wherever they have committed a kidnapping, like a calling card. I beg you! Do everything you can to help Misao!"

The two men merely nodded in response before walking off. After they were out of hearing distance of the slender broken man, Aoshi spoke.

"He wasn't really blind."

"Hmm. So you noticed that too. Be on your guard. Something isn't right here."

-o-o-o-o-o-

**Definitions:**

**Kunai: **Ninja throwing knives. These are Misao's weapon of choice.

**Okashira: **The leader of a ninja clan. In other words this means Misao.

**Kuroi Kyouji:** Kuroi means black and kyouji means calamity or misfortune. Therefore, it's like saying this gang is the "Black Misfortune." A fitting name, ne?

-o-o-o-o-o-

A/N: Well…it's been an extremely long wait for this. So sorry about that! I'd give an excuse, except there really isn't one, except that I wasn't inspired. Anyways, I'll try to get the next chapter up sooner than this one…


End file.
